Mechanical dishwasher



May 1930. J. H WEIDMAN 1,757,278

MECHANICAL DISHWASHER Filed March 29, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet l NVENTO May 6, 1930. J H WE|DMAN. 1,757,278

MECHANI CAL DI SHWASHER Filed March 29, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 JVVENTO @MW A Patented May 6, 1930 PATENT OFFICE JOHN H. WEIDMAN, OF MABCELLUS, NEW YORK MECHANICAL DISHWASHER Application filed March 29, 1927. Serial No. 179,249.

This invention relates to a mechanical dishwasher in which a hollow distributing head or tube is journaled upon a water inlet p1pe within the vat to rotate about the axis thereto and is provided with discharge orifices at opposite sides of its axis of rotation arranged in such manner that the discharge of water therethrough will automaticall rotate the head at a sufficiently slow rate 0 speed to as- 1 sure a thorough cleansin of the dishes and other articles which may e supported in the vat with a minimum number of turns or revolutions of the head.

. The main object is to obtain a more uniform distribution of the washing fluid throughout the interior area of the vat from top to bottom with greater force and with less water and power than has heretofore been practiced.

Another object is to arrange the open work dish-supporting trays at difierent levels above and below the revolving head so that the dishes therein may receive the direct impact of the jets of Water issuing from the orifices of said head as the latter is rotated and to cause the jets of Water to traverse the entire areas of both trays and interior of the vat.

A further object is to provide means whereby the food particles displaced from the dishes in the lower tray are separated from the cleaner water and the latter recirculated from the bottom of the vat through the distributing head and thereby to reduce to a minimum the amount of water required for dish-washing purposes.

Another object is to provide means whereby fresh water may be introduced through the distributing head independently of the recirculating means for rinsing or washing purposes as may be desired.

A further object is to provide means whereby the washing fluid may be drained off from the vat and from the recirculating means while the distributing head is at rest or even when fresh water is being supplied thereto, thus permitting the interior of the vat to be thoroughly cleansed by the distribution of the fresh water therein while drawing ofi the foul water from the bottom.

Other objects and uses relating to specific parts of the machine will be brought out in the following description.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a top plan of a mechanical dishwasher embodying the various features of my invention, a portion of the cover being broken away to show the interior mechanism.

F1gure 2 1s an enlarged vertical sectional view taken in the plane of line 2-2, Fig ure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlar ed detail vertical sectional view taken in t e plane of line 3-3, Flgure 2, showing a portion of the pump case broken away.

Flgure is an enlarged top plan of the central portlon of the revoluble distributin head. a

Figure 5 is an enlarged vertical sectional view through the center of the distributing head taken in the plane of line 55, Figure 4.

Figure 6 is an enlarged detail sectional view taken on line 66, Figure 2.

F gure 7 is an enlar ed transverse sectional view of a portion 0 the distributing head showing the angular disposition of the discharge orifices in opposite sides thereof.

As illustrated, this machine comprises a vat 1 which is substantially square or rectangular in top plan and is provided with afrusto-conical bottom 2 and a substan tlally fiat top lid or cover -3, the latter movable or removable as desired.

The upper end of the vat is provided with an outwardly, upwardly and downwardly turned flange -4 forming a substantially horizontal ledge 5-.an'd a slightly raised head 6 surrounding the ledge -5, the rear side of the top portion of the vat being extending above the remaining portions to form a back flange 7 The area of the cover 3- is slightly greater than the interior area of the vat so that its marginal edges may rest upon the ledge 5- where it is held against lateral movement by the adjacent walls of the bead but may be removed and replaced at Suitable dish-supporting trays or opentrays or-the reception of a rotary distribut work baskets -8 and "9 are remov'ably supported at. different levels within the vat,

the lower tray -8 being supported upon the marginale'dges of the bottom -2- While the upper'tray 9-- is supported at its upper end upon themarginal ledge 'thus leavin an intervening space between the two ing head and its supporting means presently described.

The vat -1-- is provided in one side with a water-tightgland 10' registering with the space between the lower and upper trays 8 and but somewhat nearer the up- This distributing head 13is hollow or tubular and is provided with a centralopen ing communicating with the interior of the water inlet pipe 11, Figure 5, the opposite ends of said head being preferably closed while the remaining portions-are provided with lower and upper sets of discharge nozzles -14 having relatively narrow fanshaped orifices 14-, those ofqone set being arranged in staggered relation to those of the other set as shown more clearly in Figure Qso as to dist-ributethe Jets of water issuing therefrom over practically the entire area of the interior of the vat from top to bottom.

thereof.

The distributing head 13-' is rotatable in a horizontal plane withln the space between thelower and upper trays -8 and but somewhat nearer andidirectlybe lowthe' upper tray which is'adapted to carry the. less soiled dishes such as glassware and are more liable to adhere.

I The orifices --14 are relatively narrow transversely of the tubular head -13--; but

diagonally thereto to cause the water to-issue therefrom with considerable force in the form of fan-shaped sprayjets in overlapping-rela- V I "tion without interfering with each other. 60.

- The orifices of'the upper set are preferab y vertical to discharge their Jets vertically against the dishes in the upper tray while i the orifices in the nozzles of the lower set at opposite sides of the axis of rotation of the head are deflected laterally and downwardly therefrom to rotate the head.

in 'reverse directions at relatively sli ht angles to said axis to cause the jets issuing Under these conditions foreign "matter v which may adhere to the dishes in the lower tray -'8vwill be displaced and caused to lodge on the conical bottom 2 away from the dishes while the foreign matter which is' displaced from the dishes in the upper tray will be comparatively slight'and precipitated into the lower tray to be again displaced by the downwardly spreading jets from the distributin head.

The outer end 0 the inlet pipe 11 is connected to an upright pipe T 1-5' having its upper end connected to another pipe T 16, one branch of which is connected to a cold waterv supply pipe -l7 and the other end'to a hot water supply pipe -17'.

' These supply pipes 17 and 17' are provided with separate valves -18 and 18" operable at will to control the fresh water supply to the distributing head 13 through the inlet pipe -'-11.

The lower end of the pipe T 15-- is connected by a pipe 19 to the pressure side of a centrifugal pump ''-20. having its suction side connected to a discharge pipe in the apex of the conical bottom 2 of the solidsintothe pump. 1

The pump 20 and motor, -2l are located directly beneath the bottom 2 of the vat 1- and are supported by a bracket -2"' which in turn is secured by any suitable fastening means to the bottom 2.

The lower side of the pump case 20 is provided with a drainage 26- leading therefrom and including and a trap -28.

therein a valve The valve may be opened and closed meansof 'an'operating rod 29- which extends-upwardly along the rear side of the the like while the lower tray is preferably used to support the plates, platters and I analogous articles to which the foodproducts at through an opening in the'marginal bead and is provided with a rnernber 30- by which it may be operated.

gThe pipe 19 is'provid'ed with a check valve 31 between the inlet pipe 11 and pressure side of the pump 20 to alare elongated lengthwise of said head and the pipe 19 and also to prevent return flow of the water from the inlet 11- through the pipe -l9 to the pump.

Current may be supplied to the motor from any available source of power through cables -32-- to which is connected an electric switch -33- located directly under the flange l at the front of the machine and operable at will through the medium of a suitable handle -34-., Figure 2.

The lower tray -8-- is provided with a central relatively smaller supplemental tray 8 for receiving knives, forks, spoons and analogous articles, said supplemental tray being provided with a perforated bottom to allow the washing fluid to drain therefrom and is held against lateral displacement by a ring 8"- on the tray -8.

Operation Assuming that the trays 8- and 9- with the dishes to be washed therein are placed in operative position within the vat and that the lid or cover 3 is closed, then, one or the other or'both of the valves 18 and l8- may be opened to allow fresh water to pass through the inlet pipe -11- and thence through the distributing head 13- into the interior of the vat so that the exit of the water through the lower nozzles will cause the rotation of the head by reason of the angular disposition of the nozzles relatively to the axis of rotation.

The water issuing from the several nozzles of the distributing head in the form of fanshaped sprays or jets will be forced under considerable pressure through the open work trays 8- and 9- and against the dishes therein with more or less glancing impact due to the spread of the jets and to the rotation of the head, this operation being continued as long as may be desirable to use fresh water.

Under these conditions if the drainage valve --Q7s is opened the filtered water resulting from the washing of the dishes will escape through the drainage outlet 28- through any suitable waste pipe, not shown.

On the other hand, if the drainage valve 27 is closed a limited quantity of fresh water may be allowed to collect in the vat suflicient to cover the screen 23 whereupon the valves 18- and -18 in the fresh water supply pipes may be closed and the electric motor started by the proper operation ofthe switch member 3#l-.

The operation of the motor 24 will cause a corresponding operation of the pump 20- to draw the filtered washing fluid through the discharge pipe E2land force it upwardly through the pipe 19, through the check valve -3l and thence through the inlet pipe -l1 and distributing head 13 to the interior of the vat which causes the rotation of the distributing head to ell'ect a thorough cleansing of the dishes in both trays 8 and 9-. v

The washing fluid precipitated to the bottom of the tank is again recirculated bythe pump 20 through the pipes 19, 11-, and distributing head 13', this recirculating operation being continued as long as desired or until the dishes are thor oughly cleansed at which time the drainage valve --27-- and one or both of the fresh water supply valves 18- and --18-- again opened to allow the introduction of fresh water into the interior of the vat through the distributing head -13 for rinsing purposes.

After the dishes have been properly rinsed the fresh water supply valves -18- and 18 may be closed and the trays 8- and 9- with the dishes therein allowed to remain in the vat until thoroughly dried.

The upper tray 9-- with the dishes therein may then be removed to permit the removal of the supplemental tray 8 and dishes from the lower tray, whereupon the cleansed and dried dishes from all of the trays may be stored away for future use, the trays being then free for re-use when desired.

1t will be noted on reference to Figure 2 that the supplemental tray 8 is removably supported in the lower tray 8- and when removed the screen 23 may also be removed to permit cleansing thereof and also to permit drainage of any refuse which may lodge on the bottom of the vat through the outlet pipes 21 and -28- when the valve '27- is opened.

The tray -8- is also removable through the open upper end of the vat when desired but is preferably left in place.

It will also be noted that when the upper tray 9, supplemental tray 8-- and screen --23 are removed and the valve 27 opened fresh water, either hot or cold, may be projected into the interior of the vat through the nozzles in the head 13- causing the rotation of the latter and a thorough cleansing of the interior of the vat and lower tray 8 when in place, the fresh water being allowed to flow out through the drainage pipe 21, pump 20 and waste pipe 23 to thoroughly cleanse those parts. all of which affords a convenient means for maintaining the interiorof the vat and water passages in a thoroughly sanitary condition.

It will be further noted that under all washing conditions any grease or refuse which may be liberated from the dishes is precipitated to the bottom of the vat below the level of the lower tray where it remains in a more or less quiet state without liability of being recirculated through the vat and on to the dishes. but may be withdrawn at the cud of the washing operation by simply removing the screen -23 and introducing fresh water into the vat through the head 13 as previously explained whereby the fresh water will carry oil the refuse through the pipe 21, pump-20 and drainage pipe 28- when the valve 27 1S opened.

In other words, during the recirculation of the washing fluid by the operation of the pump 20 the filtered water passing through the screen 23 1S by-passed around the outside of the vat through the pipes -19- and -11 rather than from the bottom upwardly through the vat thereby avoiding the agitation and pro ect1on of the fouled water against the dishes.

On the other hand, where the water pres sure is sufficient the entire washing and rinsing operations may be performed with pure fresh water to the exclusion of the recirculating means in which case the screen 23 might be removed and the valve 27-- opened to allow the foul matter to be carried off from the vat as fast as it is displaced from the dishes.

What I claim is 1. A mechanical dishwasher comprising a vat, dish-supporting trays supported within the vat at different levels, an outlet pipe leading from the bottom of the vat, an inlet pipe extending from the'exterior into the vat and between the trays, a pump having its suction side connected to the outlet pipe and its pressure side connected to the inlet pipe, a'checkvalve in said last named connection to allow the flow of water from the pump to the inletpipe and to prevent return flow, a watersup- 1 ply pipe connected to the inlet pipe and provided with a controlling valve, and a distrihuting head rotatably mounted upon the inlet pipe within the vat and between the trays to receive water from said inlet pipe and provided with discharge orifices arranged to cause the rotation of the head "as the water is discharged therefrom.

2. In a mechanical dishwasher, a vat having a water inlet and an outlet, a pump having its suction side connected to the outlet and its pressure side connected to said inlet for recirculating the water through said vat, means for introducing fresh water through the inlet independently of the pump and a check valve in the connection between the pump and inlet for allowing the flow of water 7 terior through an opening in the upright wall of the vat to the interior thereof, an elongated horizontally arranged hollow waterreceiving and distributing head journaled on the said pipe within the vat to rotate about a vertical axis in a plane some distance from the top and bottom of the vat, a pump hav ing its suction side connected to the interior of the vat below the plane of rotation of said head and its pressure side connected to the outer end of said pipe, means for introducing water into the said pipe independently of the pumpfand a check-valve in the connection between the pump and the supply pipe to allow the flow of water from the pump to-the pipe and to prevent the flow of water from said independent water supply means to the pump, said distributing head being provided with discharge openings.

I n witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 22nd day of March, 1927.

JOHN H. VVEIDMA N. 

